On Foreign Entanglements, Matt and Rob talk Syria, credibility, and the developing conflict within the GOP over foreign policy. Matt runs down the latest developments on Syria, leading to a discussion of how reputation and credibility matter in international politics. Is Israel legitimately concerned about US credibility regarding Iran? Rob wonders whether Russia has really put its credibility on the line by taking responsibility for Syrian chemical weapons. Matt sees the same old hawks using credibility as an excuse for another war, and the two discuss how the Rand Paul–John McCain fight may be playing out in the think tank world. Finally, is isolationism making a comeback?

On Foreign Entanglements, Rob and Zack consider the arguments over intervention in Syria. They start by discussing the minimal case for a set of punishing strikes against the Assad regime designed to enforce the chemical weapons taboo. Would such a narrow intervention work as a meaningful deterrent? Rob and Zack then talk about the long-term prospects of the Assad regime, and how arguments for intervention might look in a decade. Finally, they work out their frustrations regarding the worst arguments currently made about the potential intervention.

On Foreign Entanglements, Matt and Michael discuss the Egyptian military’s crackdown, which Michael contends is aimed at dissolving the Muslim Brotherhood. Who is responsible for killing Egyptian security officers in the Sinai? Are neoconservatives turning into realists over Egypt? Should the US suspend aid? Is Egypt still the center of the Arab world? Has the military completely alienated political Islam? Is there any constructive role the US can play in influencing Egyptian politics? And how have these developments affected Iran?

On Foreign Entanglements, Rob speaks with Dmitry about US-Russian relations. Dmitry suggests that the causes of the summit cancellation go beyond Snowden, and Rob wonders whether the United States and Russia are stuck in an unproductive paradigm with respect to Syria. How has the Russian public responded to Snowden? Rob and Dmitry talk about the potential for an Olympic boycott in response to Russia’s “gay propaganda” law, then discuss recent changes in how the Russian military conducts readiness exercises.

On Foreign Entanglements, Matt and Yousef discuss the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which Yousef believes leave foundational problems unaddressed. Can the US serve as an effective broker? Yousef offers a cynical take on the negotiations, arguing that the process is set up to fail. They discuss the current Palestinian leadership’s problematic lack of legitimacy. Finally, if the talks do fail, what should the Palestinians do next?

On Foreign Entanglements, Rob and Bryan discuss concerns and myths about AirSea Battle. They consider whether ASB should be regarded as an anti-Army power play, whether it would increase the chances of war with China, whether it demands a particular strategic outlook, and whether the United States could afford ASB. They close by speaking about the dire impact of the sequester on the US defense community.

On Foreign Entanglements, Ben describes his creepy and fascinating trip to North Korea. Matt and Ben then move to the Middle East: Is this the last chance for a two-state solution? What would each side be willing to offer if talks restart? Matt and Ben consider the perennial question of whether Israel will soon launch a strike against Iran’s nuclear program. Does Rouhani’s electoral victory make a difference? Plus: Why Ben is conflicted about Egypt.

On an unfortunately truncated episode of Foreign Entanglements, Rob and Clay discuss the political science of military coups. Rob asks Clay about the international reaction to the Egyptian coup of February 2011, and the nature of Obama’s leadership. Rob and Clay then muse about Obama’s general foreign policy approach, consider the likely outcome of the most recent coup, and share some thoughts on how Egypt might look ten years from now.

On a very special Foreign Entanglements, Rob and Kevin discuss the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Kevin begins by sketching out the strategic situation of 1863 and the course of the battle itself. Rob and Kevin then discuss how memory of the battle has changed over time, focusing especially on how racial issues reshaped commemoration between 1913 and 1963. They conclude by speculating about what may come next. Will anyone remember the anniversary of Reconstruction?

On Foreign Entanglements, Rob and Daniel discuss the Snowden affair. Rob wonders whether Snowden’s activities can be separated into acceptable and unacceptable categories, while Daniel worries that it will be difficult to ever push back sufficiently against the national security state. Will Snowden spur a rollback in post-9/11 intelligence sharing? Rob asks Daniel what the Snowden affair means for great power relations. They explain why Obama isn’t making anyone happy on Syria, and question the anti-Russian obsession among the foreign policy elite. They close by discussing Rand Paul’s speech to evangelical Christians about just war.